Can hearing aids correct all hearing problems?

Hearing aids cannot restore normal hearing. They can improve your hearing by amplifying sounds you've had trouble hearing.

Hearing aids

can't cure hearing loss, but they CAN help you hear better again. Other features to consider are the parts or services covered by the warranty, the estimated maintenance and repair schedule and costs, upgrade options and opportunities, and the hearing aid company's reputation for quality and customer service.

Since the code also includes information about the pitch or volume of a sound, the aid can be specially programmed to amplify some frequencies more than others. Headphones can make a big difference, especially if you choose the right ones and get help adapting to them. You'll also see an audiologist who will perform tests to determine the type of hearing loss you have and how serious it is. Researchers funded by the NIDCD are also studying how hearing aids can improve speech signals to improve comprehension.

Difficult conditions, such as wind noise and feedback, are also a thing of the past for the current generation of hearing aids. Just because one hearing aid is more expensive than another doesn't necessarily mean that it's better suited to your needs. Because Medicare has stated that the BAHA is a prosthetic device and not a hearing aid, Medicare will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met. Young children usually don't use ITE hearing aids because the covers need to be replaced frequently as the ear grows.

A telephone coil is a small magnetic coil that allows users to receive sound through the hearing aid's circuits, rather than through their microphone. Small, open-fit headphones fit completely behind the ear, with only a narrow tube inserted into the ear canal, allowing the canal to remain open. This type of hearing aid is not ideal for children or adults who may have problems with very small devices. Contact the Information Center of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) if you have questions about organizations that offer financial assistance for the purchase of hearing aids.

Directional microphones hold great promise in making it easier for people to hear a single conversation, even when surrounded by other noises and voices. A telephone coil also helps people hear in public facilities that have installed special sound systems, called induction loop systems.